Veterans of all generations, city officials and active duty military gathered this weekend to honor veterans of the Vietnam War, including those who never made it home.

“This is what we do,” said Paul Levesque, the president of Rolling Thunder NC-5 about the organization’s involvement in the Vietnam Recognition Day, held Saturday at the Onslow Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Lejeune Memorial Gardens. “It’s part of our mission to bring awareness of our comrades that are still missing or are prisoners of war and to honor veterans.”

More than 100 gathered to pay homage to both living and deceased Vietnam veterans. Marine Corps Installations East provided the color guard, while organizations such as Rolling Thunder set up a missing man table and read the names of the 41 North Carolina Vietnam veterans still missing in action.

“The feeling I hope people walk away with is a reminder of all the sacrifices our Vietnam veterans made,” Levesque said. “They should also remember the sacrifices of all veterans. Hopefully this reminds them of the many Americans unaccounted from all wars.”

Every Vietnam veteran had their own unique feelings during the ceremony, said Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient John Howard, 75, of Hubert.

“It means a lot to me, but it’s really hard to explain,” Howard said. “It makes me miss all my friends who are on this wall.”

For Howard, attending the ceremony was his way of honoring those who didn’t come home from Vietnam.

“I still haven’t figured out exactly what this ceremony should mean to me,” Howard said. “We didn’t receive ceremonies like this when we came home.”

The ceremonies are important to have each year to commemorate the killed, missing in action and prisoners of war, said Vietnam veteran John Cooney of the Jacksonville chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

“It’s nice to finally be welcomed home,” said Cooney, 72, of Jacksonville. “Many did not receive a welcome home. Some saw anti-war demonstrations, got spit on or had feces thrown at them. It’s nice to finally welcome everyone home.”

For the Jacksonville chapter of the Vietnam Veterans Association this was a momentous ceremony, said Paul Crowell, the chapter secretary.

“We plan to continue this event until the last Vietnam veteran dies,” Crowell said.

Many veterans of previous and more recent generations were present in support of the Vietnam veterans.

“It’s more or less a military thing,” Crowell said. “Today is about one veteran honoring another veteran regardless of their generation.”

This event, ultimately, was for reuniting with brothers and sisters in arms, Crowell said.

“Having the younger generation here meant the world,” Crowell said. “We can teach them someone. And we can teach everyone that freedom is not free — freedom has come at a cost for every generation.”